The use of bone grafts and bone substitute materials in orthopedic medicine is known. While bone wounds can regenerate without the formation of scar tissue, fractures and other orthopedic injuries take a long time to heal, during which time the bone is unable to support physiologic loading unaided. Metal pins, screws, rods, plates and meshes are frequently required to replace the mechanical functions of injured bone. However, metal is significantly more stiff than bone. Use of metal implants may result in decreased bone density around the implant site due to stress shielding. Physiologic stresses and corrosion may cause metal implants to fracture. Unlike bone, which can heal small damage cracks through remodeling to prevent more extensive damage and failure, damaged metal implants can only be replaced or removed. The natural cellular healing and remodeling mechanisms of the body coordinate removal of bone and bone grafts by osteoclast cells and formation of bone by osteoblast cells.
Conventionally, bone tissue regeneration is achieved by filling a bone repair site with a bone graft. Over time, the bone graft is incorporated by the host and new bone remodels the bone graft. In order to place the bone graft, it is common to use a monolithic bone graft or to form an osteoimplant comprising particulated bone in a carrier. The carrier is thus chosen to be biocompatible, to be resorbable, and to have release characteristics such that the bone graft is accessible. Generally, the formed implant, whether monolithic or particulated and in a carrier, is substantially solid at the time of implantation and thus does not conform to the implant site. Further, the implant is substantially complete at the time of implantation and thus provides little ability for customization, for example by the addition of autograft.
The use of bone grafts is generally limited by the available shape and size of grafts. Bone grafts using cortical bone remodel slowly because of their limited porosity. Traditional bone substitute materials and bone chips are more quickly remodeled but cannot immediately provide mechanical support. In addition, while bone substitute materials and bone chips can be used to fill oddly shaped bone defects, such materials are not as well suited for wrapping or resurfacing bone.